Monday, 3 March 2014

The Bravo aluminum case by Tigra Sport is possibly the toughest iPhone case on the market. Constructed of solid anodized aluminum, there's nothing else like it. Size and Fit

The Bravo takes a significant amount of time to install (10-15 minutes) thanks to its use of 7 tiny hex nuts. Tigra provides all of the necessary tools, however, including a very unique hex driver and a tapered tool to help you pry the case pieces apart without damaging the o-ring. Once installed, the Bravo adds about 1/2 an inch to the width, length, and thickness of your phone, and approximately doubles its weight. The case is machined to exacting specifications, and I had no difficulty accessing any of the buttons, ports, or mute switch.

Features and Quality

The Bravo's claim to fame is its construction; solid anodized aluminum. As cool as this sounds, it's actually not just a gimmick. If you happened to drop your phone while it was wearing the Bravo, you would more likely be worried about breaking a toe than your phone. It's super tough; of course, it's also super heavy. On the plus side, however, the Bravo doesn't add a great deal of bulk to your phone; especially considering how much protection it provides. Unlike some of the newer waterproof cases, the Bravo utilizes a screen cover. Thankfully, this cover is not permanently attached to the case. Instead, it takes the form of an electrostatic screen protector that you can remove/reuse/replace as necessary.

The case forms a watertight seal against this cover, which is itself adhered firmly to the glass of your iPhone in order to protect the home button, speaker, and camera. This means no air gaps between the cover and your screen; something that usually causes me to remove them in frustration. Additionally, thanks to this design, iPhone 5s users can also use the Bravo as long as they pony-up an extra $15 to purchase the cover that is TouchID compatible. Once properly installed, the Bravo is IP68 rated for dust/water protection. In case you're wondering what this means, the IP stands for Ingress Protection, the first digit reflects the case's ability to protect against dust (6 is best), and the second digit reflects the case's ability to protect against water (8=60 minutes of protection at 2m).

The Bravo gives full access to all buttons, ports, the mute switch, and the camera, all without sacrificing the integrity of its protection. Lastly, in addition to the previously mentioned installation tools, the Bravo comes with a screw-down waterproof headphone adaptor and a soft cloth for cleaning your phone prior to installing the screen cover.

Style

The Bravo is available in both polished and black anodized aluminum. Beware, however, the silver model comes with a white bordered screen cover, and the black one comes with black. You may purchase additional screen covers in either color, but as far as I can tell, there is no way to choose your screen cover when purchasing the case.SummaryThanks to its all aluminum construction, Tigra Sport's Bravo stands out from the crowd for its level of protection and its style. If you aren't a fan of screen covers, however, and/or don't want to add the extra weight that comes with a metal case, you may want to look elsewhere for your waterproof case.